The genus Platypilumnus Alcock and description of P. jamiesoni n.sp. from New Caledonia (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura)

7 Pages·1996·2 MB·English

by  Bertrand Richer De Forges

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Richer de Forges, Bertrand, 1996. The genus Platypilumnus Alcock and
description of P. jamiesoni n.sp. from New Caledonia (Crustacea, Decapoda,
Brachyura). Records of the Australian Museum 48(1): 1–6. [1 May 1996].
doi:10.3853/j.0067-1975.48.1996.278
ISSN 0067-1975
Published by the Australian Museum, Sydney
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Records of the Australian Museum (1996) Vo!. 48: 1-6. ISSN 0067-1975
The Genus Plafypilumnus Alcock and Description of
P. jamiesoni n.sp. from New Caledonia
(Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura)
B. RICHER DE FORGES
ORSTOM, BP A5 Noumea cedex, New Caledonia
[email protected]
ABSTRACT. A new species of the genus Platypilumnus, P. jamiesoni n.sp., is described and
illustrated from the upper bathyal zone of New Caledonia. A key to the four species in the genus
is given along with new illustrations for P. inermis, P. gracilipes and P. soelae. The placement
of this genus in Goneplacidae and its affinities with Neopilumnoplax Serene, 1969 are discussed.
RESUME. Vne nouvelle espece du genre Platypilumnus, P. jamiesoni n.sp., est decrite et illustre
de la zone bathyale superieure de Nouvelle-Caledonie. Vne clef des quatre especes du genre est
donnee ainsi que de nouvelles illustrations pour P. inermis, P. gracilipes et P. soelae. La position
de ce genre dans les Goneplacidae et ses affinites avec Neopilumnoplax Serene, 1969 sont discutees.
RICHER DE FORGES, B., 1996. The genus Platypilumnus A1cock and description of P. jamiesoni n.sp. from
New Caledonia (Crustacea, Decapoda, Brachyura). Records of the Australian Museum 48(1): 1-6.
In the course of the BATHUS 2 expedition, on board R.V. Different authors have hesitated about the systematic
Alis, we collected four specimens of the genus position of this genus; it has been placed in both the
Platypilumnus A1cock, from the outer reef slope off New Goneplacidae and the Geryonidae. According to Guinot
Caledonia. This resulted in an investigation of the three (1969a), the genus Platypilumnus could be "etroitement
a
described species of the genus, known from a very small apparente Geryon". Manning & Holthuis (1989)
number of specimens, and led to the following description proposed that the Geryonidae should be limited to only
of a new species from New Caledonia, Platypilumnus the genera Geryon, Chaceon and Zariquieyon and that
jamiesoni n.sp. Platypilumnus be excluded. I consider Platypilumnus is
The genus Platypilumnus has until now included the closest to Neopilumnoplax and in consequence, I place
following species: Platypilumnus gracilipes A1cock, 1894, Platypilumnus in Goneplacidae.
from the Andaman Sea and Vietnam; P. inermis Guinot, Abbreviations: CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and
1985, from La Reunion Island; and P. soelae Garth, Industrial Research Organsisation; MNHN, Museum
1987, from northwestern Australia. national d'Histoire naturelle; NTM: Northern Territory
2 Records of the Australianivlllseulll (1996) VoL 48
Fig. 1. A. Plal\'piIUllIIlllS gracilipes. female 23.6x27.5 mm. Vietnam, (MNH N B 6459), B. P. inel'lllis. female
ovigerous piU'Jlype 26.8x32 In111. Reunion Island O\;lNHN B 10525),
Museum: ORSTOM. L'lns(ilut Franyais de Recherche Plarypifumnus gracilipes Akock. 1894: 401. pI. 14, fig. 6.-,
Scientifigue pour le D€veloppement en Cooperation. Cuinat, 196%: 512. 692, fig. 4. pI. 11, fig. 97.-Guinat.
1985: J 6.24. pl. n A~D,-Garth, 1987: 35.
Matel'ial examined. VIET\,A\1. 300 111. 22 December 196ft
S ),stematies collected and identified by Zarenkov: I female 23.6x27.5 mm.
with an Isopod Bopyrid parasite (lvINHN B 64591.
Platypilumnus gracilipes /\ le ock. , 1894 Rem31'ks. Platvpihflll/JI/S gracilipes is very poorly known.
It was described frol11 the Andaman Sea and, since then.
has only been found off Vietnam. A1cock (j 894) described
Fig. lA (he fresh colollralioll as yellowish red.
Richer de Forges: Platypilumnus from New Caledonia 3
Fig. 2. A, Platypilumnus soelae, male paratype 32x40.2 mm, northwest Australia (NTM, number CR 002024).
B, P. jamiesoni n.sp., male holotype 26.2x30.6 mm, New caledonia, (MNHN B 22730).
Platypilumnus inermis Guinot, 1985 Remarks. The male holotype of P. inermis is a juvenile
and therefore may not be reliable to compare with other
Fig. IB species. In spite of the small size of the specimen,
heterochely is already well developed. It is the right claw
that is more developed on the holotype, while on the
Platypilumnus inermis Guinot, 1985: 16,24; fig. 2: B, Dl,
female paratype, it is the left claw.
D2, E-H; fig. n.n.(A,B); pis II(E-J), IY.-Garth, 1987:
Guinot (1985: pI. IV) gives a colour photograph of
35.
the holotype of P. inermis: the carapace is orange over
the anterior part, and mostly whitish on the branchial
Material examined. LA REUNION, MD 32 cruise, station CP
60, 21°03.3'S 55°01.5'E, 460-490 m: 1 male HOLOTYPE llx13 regions. Pereopods 2-4 have a white merus with the
mm (MNHN B 10525), 1 ovigerous female PARATYPE 26.8x32 distal extremity orange, the carpus, propodus and dactylus
mm (MNHN B 10525). are uniformly orange.
4 Records of the Australian Museum (1996) Vo!. 48
a female specimen from the Timor Sea, Indonesia.
This female specimen shows the following
characteristics: chelipeds, the right is bigger than the
other (heterochely) with the external face of the propodus
smooth; the propodus of the small cheliped is completely
spinulous. Female abdomen seven segmented.
Platypilumnus jamiesoni n.sp.
Fig. 2B, 3A,B, 4A-C
Material examined. NEW CALEDONIA, BATHUS 2 cruise,
station CP 741, 22°35.53'S 166°26.56'E, 700-950 m: 1 male
HOLOTYPE, 26.2x30.6 mm (MNHN B 22730). Station ep 762,
22°18.86'S 166°09.78'E, 620-700 m, 16 May 1993: 1 male
PARATYPE 18.6x21.5 mm, 1 female PARATYPE 20.4x25.2 mm
(MNHN B 22731). Station CP 764, 22°09.41'S 166°02.93'E,
560-570 m, 17 May 1993: 1 male PARATYPE 30.4x35.4 mm;
gonads sampled for sperm studies; MNHN B 22729.
Description. Size small. Carapace very flattened, regions
visible but little marked. Surface of carapace smooth,
carrying gastric groove with gastric fossetts. Curved
groove on either side of the cardiac region. Front
prominent and rectilinear, bimarginate, with median
concavity; superior border finely serrated. Ten or eleven
denticles, of equal length, on each side of median
concavity. Epistome straight, with granular anterior
border (Fig. 3B). Superior border of endostome forming
crest interrupted on each side by concavity. Short,
oblique crest on endostome.
Antenna short well protected, only flagellum passing
anterior border of carapace. Anterolateral border curved,
bearing some teeth flanked by spinules; spinules small,
numerous, sharp.
Posterolateral border straight with row of granules
anteriorly. Sub-hepatic region inflated and finely granular.
Eyes short, little visible dorsally, hooked spine on ocular
peduncle. Infra-orbital border with row of small spines
Fig. 3. Platypilumnus jamiesoni n.sp., holotype. A, dorsal
ending in strong tooth at inner angle. Chelipeds of
view; B, anterior part of the ventral view.
different sizes (also for females and juveniles): right
cheliped very large on adult male, as long as carapace
length; propodus very enlarged and flattened, with
Platypilumnus soelae Garth, 1987
carina on inferior border; fingers apically hooked with
black of fixed finger extending onto distal part; carpus
Fig. 2A quadrangular with two strong teeth at internal angle and
row of seven spines on external border, superior face
Platypilumnus soelae Garth, 1987: 35, figs 1, 2A-E. being smooth; superior border of merus carries some
proximal spines. Small cheliped spinulate, less inflated;
Material examined. AUSTRALIA, North West Shelf, station external face and superior border of propodus bearing
64, FRV Soela, CSIRO cruise 0184, 14°49.4'S 121°32.3'E, 178 strong spines, fingers thin and grooved; carpus spinular
m, 12 February 1984: 1 male PARATYPE 32x40.2 mm (NTM, on superior face with two stronger spines at internal
CR 002024). INDONESIA, Karubar cruise, station CP 59, angle; merus with some distal spines on superior border
8°20.01'S 132°09.32'E, 405-399 m, 31 October 1991: 1 female and line of strong spines on ventral face; 2-3 spines
27.3x31.2 mm (PROLIPI). on ventral face of coxa of pereopod 1. Pereopods 2-
5 long and slender: merus with row of spinules on
Remarks. This species found recently on the superior border and two parallel rows on inferior border;
continental shelf of Northwestern Australia, was known carpus and propodus with spinules only on superior
from only three male specimens. I attribute to it here border. Pleopods: as shown in Fig. 4. Colour: In life
Richer de Forges: Platypilumnus from New Caledonia 5
2mm
3mm
3 mm
I I
B c
A
Fig. 4. Platypilumnus jamiesoni n.sp. male paratype 30.4x35.4 mm. A and B, first gonopod. C, second
gonopod.
carapace is entirely milky white, pereopods 2-4 are spines are fewer, stronger, and irregularly sized. The
reddish-orange on carpus, propodus and dactylus. posterolateral border is practically smooth on P. jamiesoni
n.sp., but has a line of granules and spinules on P.
Etymology: dedicated to Professor Barrie Jamieson in inermis. The meri of pereopods 2-5 are more slender
honour of his work on the phylogeny of Brachyurans and less spinulous on P. inermis than on P. jamiesoni.
using the ultrastructural morphology of sperm. Platypilumnus jamiesoni n.sp. differs from P. soelae
by: the front being more finely spinular; the carpus of
Remarks. By the finely denticulate front, P. jamiesoni the large claw has only four spines on the external crest,
resembles P. inermis, however P. inermis has a much whereas it is spinular and granular on the superior face
stronger spine at the outer edges of each side of frontal of P. soelae; the infra-orbital border has a row of
lobe, and the denticulation is much stronger. On P. serrated spines, while there are only some large spinules
jamiesoni, the infra-orbital border is denticulated, whereas on P. soelae; the black colour of the fingers is more
it is only granular on P. inermis. The anterolateral border extensive on P. jamiesoni than on P. soelae.
of the carapace carries numerous small, evenly sized P. jamiesoni n.sp. lives on muddy bottom, in the upper
spines on P. jamiesoni n.sp., whereas on P. inermis these bathyal zone, between 300 and 700 m depth.
Key to the species of Platypilumnus
1. Frontal margins with a row of strong spines or spinules ..................................................... 2
--Front finely serrulated .................................................................................................................. 3
2. Front with 5 strong spines each side of median groove ................................... P. gracilipes
--Front with 7-8 spinules on each side ........................................................................ P. soelae
3. Posterolateral border of carapace carries spinules and granules;
infra-orbital border granular ........................................................................................ P. inermis
--Posterolateral border of carapace smooth; infra-orbital border
denticulated ....................................................................................................... P. jamiesoni n.sp.
6 Records of the Australian Museum (1996) Vol. 48
Discussion Manning, R.B. & L.B. Holthuis, 1989. Two new genera and
nine new species of Geryonid crabs (Crustacea, Decapoda,
Geryonidae). Proceeding of the Biological Society of
In several aspects the genus Platypilumnus Alcock,
Washington 102(1): 50-77.
1894, looks like Neopilumnoplax Serene, 1969: straight
Serene, R., 1969 in Guinot, 1969. Recherches preliminaires
front divided into two lobes; flattened shell; a short first
sur les groupements naturels chez 1es Crustaces Decapodes
male gonopod and the second one long slender and Brachyoures. VH. Les Goneplacidae. Bulletin du Museum
curved (typical of many Goneplacids). national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 41(2): 688-724, figs
The very spinulous and serrulated anterolateral border 83-146, pIs 3-5.
of the carapace is similar to species of Intesius Guinot
& Richer de Forges, 1981, but the spinulation of the Accepted 1 December. 1995.
walking legs is different. All these characters indicate
Platypilumnus belongs to the Goneplacidae.
I have fixed the gonads from one of the specimens
of P. jamiesoni n.sp., and from a specimen of the
Geryonidae Chaeeon bieolor Manning & Holthuis,
1989, so as to permit a study of the ultrastructure of
the spermatozoa, in the hope that this will help to clarify
the systematic problems.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I thank the following: the crew of R.V.
Alis who collected this new species; Dr A. J. Bruce from
Northern Territory Museum who sent the type of P. soelae;
D. Guinot from Museum national d'Histoire naturelle for the
type of P. inermis and a specimen of P. gracUipes; P. Davie
for sending literature and for his help with the English. The
photographs are due to J.L. Menou and the drawings to M.
Tortelicr from the Centre ORSTOM de Noumea.
References
Alcock, A., 1894. Natural History Notes from the Indian
Marine Survey Steamer "Investigator". Series H. no. 1. On
the result of deep-sea dredging during the season of 1890-
1891. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 6
(13): 225-245, 321-334, 400-411.
Garth, J.S., 1987. I. Platypilumnus soelae, a new species of
Goneplacid crab from the North West Shelf of Australia
(Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura). The Beagle, Records of
the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences, 4(1):
35-38, figs 1, 2.
Guinot, D., 1969a. Recherches preliminaires sur les
groupements naturels chez les Crustaces Decapodes
Brachyoures. VII. Les Goneplacidae (suite et fin), 41(3):
688-724, figs 83-146, pis III-V.
Guinot, D., 1969b. Recherches preliminaires sur les
groupements nature Is chez les Crustaces Decapodes
Brachyoures. VII. Les Goneplacidae (suite). Bulletin du
Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, 41(2): 507-
528, figs 33-82, pI. H.
Guinot, D., 1985. Crabes bathyaux de l'ile de La Reunion;
description de Cyrtomaia guillei sp. nov., de Platypilumnus
inermis; sp. novo et de Psopheticus vocans sp. novo
(Crustacea Decapoda, Brachyura). Comite National Fran<;ais
de la Recherche Antarctique, 55: 7-31, figs 1-6, pis. I
IV.
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nouveaux ou rares, de I'Indo-Pacifique (Crustacea, Decapoda,
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